Drying apparatus.



T. I. CASEY 6I T. COX.

DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APII.26. 1915.

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DRYING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED APII.26. I9IA5.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

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W/ T/VESSES T. CASEY & T. COX.

DRYING APPARATUS. l APPLICATION FILED APR.26, 1915. .lwl. Patented F@b.29,1916.

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DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.26. 1915.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

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THOMAS I. CASEY AND THOMAS COX, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

DRYING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Application filed April 26, 1915. Serial No. 23,794.

To all 'Lf/wm zr may concern Be it known thatwe, THoMAs I. CASEY and Tnonas Cox. citizens of the United States, residing at vOakland, county of A\lame da. in the State of California, have made a new and useful invention-to wit, a Drying Aipparatus; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, cllear, conoise and exact description of the same.

The apparatus is particularly adapted for drying fruit and vegetables.

The operation of the apparatus is such that it will dry a considerable quantity of fruit. vegetables or other products thoroughly and uniformly in a minimum length of time and in a most efficient and satisfactory manner. i y

lIn this specification and annexed drawings we illustrate the invention in the form which we consider the best,I but it is to be understood that we do not "limit ourselves to such form because the said invention may be embodied in other forms, and itis also to be understood that in and by the claims following the description herein we desire to cover the invention in whatever form it may be embodied.

Referring to the drawings: Figure lis a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof. Fig. 3 is a view of one end other end of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the drying chambers of the apparatus. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a structural detail.

Fig. 7 isa sectional view of the damper mechanism for reversing the direction of the hot air which circulates through the apparatus. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of one of the register nozzles through which hot air is introduced into the drying chamber of the appa'atus. Fig. 9 is a front view of said nozzle.' Fig. 1() is a side elevation of the mechanism for automatically operating the damper mechanism of the apparatus. Fig. 11' is a plan View of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 10.

The apparatus contemplates a furnace 1 and a drying chamber 2 or a plurality of drying chambers 2, 3 and 4. A stack 5 conducts the smoke from the furnace. Air enters the furnace through an air intake 6, which surrounds the smoke stack 5 so that the air as it passes through the stack '6 is preheated by the smoke stack ybefore it Fig. l `is a view of the enters the furnace, thus reducing to a minimum the work required ofthe furnace 1n heating to the desired degree the air which enters therein from the stack 6. On top of the furnace arelocated three compartments 8, 9 and 10. The compartments 9 and 10 communicate with the air chainber of the furnace by means of ports 11 and 12 respectively, and are also adapted to communicate 'alternately with the compartment 8 by means of ports 13 and 14, as will be hereinafter more fully described. A damper 15 is pivoted on pivot 16 within the compartment 9 which controls communica-- tion through the ports 11 and 13. A damper 20 ispivoted on pivot 21 within the compartment 10 which controls communication through the ports 12 and 14. Arms and 26 are connected respectively to the pivots 1G and 21 for swinging the doors 15 and 20. A rod l27 connects said arms by means of which said doors are swung synchronously. The arms 25 and 26 are so positioned with relation to the doors that when the rod 27 is moved to the right the door 15 swings downwardly and closes port 11 and shuts off communication between the furnace and the compartment 9 and opens port 13 and establishes communication between compartments 8 and 9, while the door 20 swings `upwardly and closes port 14 and shuts off communication between the compartments 8 and 10 and opens port 12 and establishes communication` between the furnace and the compartment 10, and when the rod is moved to the left the operation of the doors is reversed, the purpose of which will be de scribed hereinafter. Duets 30 and 31 lead respectively from the compartments 9 and 10 over the drying chambers 2, 3 and 1 through which hot air passes from the compartments 9 and 10. y

inasmuch as the construction and operation o-f the drying chambers 2, 3 and 4 are the same, the 'following description of one chamber will apply to all of said chambers: A branch duct 32 leads from the duct 30 to the top of a hot air box register 35 which forms the rear end'wall of the drying chain-- ber. The register has a plurality of horizontal superimposed nozzles 36 extending inwardly therefroml into the` end of the chamber through which hot air passes from the register into the drying chamber. Each of said nozzles is provided with a sliding damper 37 for regulating the passage of air through the nozzle into the chamber. Each damper has a plurality of openings 38 adapted to register with a plurality of openings 39, in a partition 40 interposed between the nozzle and the interior of the register box, to permit the hot air to pass from the register box through the nozzle into the drying chamber. The portions 41 of the damper between the openings 38 are adapted to close the openings 39 to prevent air passing through the nozzle into the chamber. A bolt 45 extends through the end wall of each nozzle and screws into a bracket 46 on the damper in the nozzle. The bolt lhead 47 engages the outside of the end wall of the nozzle and a lock nut 28 on the bolt engages the inside 'of the end Wall of nozzle to permit the bolt to turn but to prevent it from moving longitudinally. By turning the bolt the damper is reciprocated'to bring the openings 38 and the parts 41 into their proper relations to the openings 39 in the partitions 40 to regu` late the passage of the hot air through the nozzle into the chamber. The purpose of such regulation is to give the respective trays a uniform increment of hot air, thereby producing uniform drying results in all the trays within the chamber. A car track 50 extends into the chamber from the end opposite the register 35 upon which a car 51 travels into and out of the chamber. A

plurality of trays 55, containing the fruit vthe trays when the car is in the chamber so that thel air passing froml each nozzle will pass directly through a tray in a horizontal direction, thus subjecting the contents of each tray to the action of fresh and dry hot air... A box register is hinged at 61 to the end of the chamber opposite `the register 35 and forms the door for said end of the chamber which is closed when the car with'the trays piled thereon are in the chamber. -The register 60 is provided with a plurality -of nozzles 62, similar to the nozzles 36, which respectively project into the open ends of. the respective trays 55 opposite the nozzles-36, so that the air pass- `ing from each nozzle 36 over the contents of the tray, immediately passes through a nozzle 62 into the box of the register `60, and from thence through a branch duct 63 of `the'4 duct 31, through duct 31,` chamber 10,.chamberl 8, thence vthrough a duct 65 leading from the chamber 8 and finally out throughfan exhaust stack 66 with which said duct 65 communicates, which stack 66 surrounds the stack 6 and 3o-acts with the smoke stack 5 in preheating the air in the stack 6 before the air enters the furnace.

The interior surface of the registers 35 and 60 are bright or polished to prevent loss of heat by radiation through the walls of the registers so as to conserve the heat by reiiection within the drying chamber and trays. The interior surfaces of the hot air ducts, drying chambers and trays may also be bright or polished. Such surfaces maybe galvanized or nickled or otherwise to produce the desired effect.

The register 60 is unattached to the branch duct 63 so that it may swing on its hinges into open or closed position. The inner wall of vthe register is provided with an opening 70 which registers with the outer end of said branch duct when the register door is in closed position. A sleeve 71 is slidably mounted on the outer end of said branch duct, on the outer end of which is secured a felt washer 73,`which is adapted to engage a4 similar washer 74, surrounding the opening 70 and secured to the register. Said branch duct and sleeve are respectively provided with lugs 75 and 76, which are arranged in pairs with each lug 75 in alinement with the lug 76. A bolt 77 extends through each pair of lugs and surrounding each bolt between said lugs is a coil spring 98, which engages said lugs and tends to force the sleeve 72 outwardly, whereby the washers 73 and 74 are pressed tightly t0- gether when the register door is closed, |thus insuring an air tight joint between the register and the branch duct 63, so that none of the air passing through the duct and register will escape at this joint during the operation of the apparatus. Dampers 80 and 81 are pivotally mounted on rods 82 and 83 in their branch ducts 32 and 63 respectively. The rods '82 and 83 extend outside the branch ducts and are provided with arms 84 and 85 respectively and arms 86 and 87 respectively. A rod 88 is connected to the arms 84- and 85 and extends forwardly .into such position, that 'the door register 60 when swung closed engagestheforward end of the rod and pushes it backwardcausing the arms 84 and 85 to turn the rods 82 and 83 until the dampers 80 and 81 swing into.opening position. The end of the` rod remains in engagement with the door register 60 and the said dampers remain open While the door register is closed. Weights 86x and 87X are respectively secured to the arms 86 and 87 which cause the arms to swing down, so as' to turn the rods 82 and 83 and swing-the dempers into closedposition when the door register 60 is open,

In the operation of the apparatus the direction of the air in passing over the contents of the trays 55 is periodically reversed so that the air will flow alternately from the rear end to the front end and from the front end to the rear end of each of the trays 55. Thisis effected 'by periodically reversing the position of the dampers 15 and 20. In the position of the dampers, as shown in Fig. -3 of the drawings, the hot air which passes from the furnace through port 11, chamber 9 and duct 30, into the register 35 passes from the register out of the nozzles 36 through the trays 55 from the rear to the front ends thereof; the air which 'has absorbed moisture from the fruit in the trays then passes through nozzles 62, register 60, branch duct 63, duct 31, compartment 10, port 14, compartment 8, duct 65 and out through stack 66. Upon reversing the dampers 15 and 20 so as to open the ports 12 and 13 and close the ports 11 and 11, the hot air passes from the furnace through the port 12, compartment 10, duct 31, branch duct 63, register 60, nozzles 62,-

through the trays 55 from the front to the rear ends thereof; the air which has absorbed moisture from the fruit `in the trays then passes out through nozzles 36, register 35, branch duct 32, duct 30, compartment 9, port 13, compartment 8, duct 65 and out through stack 66.

The direction of the air flowing through the drying chamber may be reversed by reciprocating the rod 27 by hand and reversing the position of the doors 15. and 20; or automatic means may be provided for reversing the direction of the air, which means will now be described.

.()n a frame 90 are bearings 91 1n Whlch is journaled a drive shaft 92, which is driven by a motor 95, through the medium of a belt' 96 and pulley 97 secured on said shaft. A small worm pinion 98 secured on the shaft 92, meshes with worm gear 99 on shaft 100. A small pinion 101 secured on shaft 100 meshes with a. worm gear 102 secured on shaft 103. vjournaled in bearings 104 on frame 90. To a crank 105, which is secured to shaft 103, is connected one end of a rod 106. The other end of said rod is provided with a longitudinal slot 107 into which projects a pin 108, which pin is secured to a weighted arm 110 pivoted at its lower end at 111 upon the furnace. A weight 112 is secured to the upper end of the arm. A link 115 is connected at one end to a rock arm 116 pivoted at 117 upon the furnace, and at its other end to the damper arm 26. Two pins 120 and 121 project horizontally from the side of the link 115. between which pins extends the arm 110.

In the operation of the above described mechanism, as the pulley 97 and shaft 92 are rotated through belt 96 by the motor the shaft 103 and crank 105 are lrotated at a very slow speed through the medium of the pinion 98. gear 99, shaft 100. pinion 108 and swings the arm 110 to the right until it passes the vertical position, whereupon the weight 112 causes the arm to swing over against the pin 120 and moves the link 115 to the right, which in turn swings the arm 26 to the right and also the arm 25 through the rod 27. As the arms 26 and 25 are thus swung to the right the damper 20 opens the port 12 and closes the port 11, and the damper 15 opens port 13 and closes port 11 which directs the hot air through the apparatus in one direction as above described. lVhen the rod 106 is moved to the left by crank` 105, the right end of the slot 107 engages the pin 108 and swings the arm 110 to the left until it passes the vertical position, whereupon the weight 112 causes the arnrto swing over against the pin 121 and move the link 115 to the left. which in turn swings the arm 26 to the left and the arm 25 also through the rod 27. As the arms 26 and 25 are thus swung to the left, the damper 20 opens the port 11 and 'closes the port 12 land the damper 15 opens the port 11 and closes the port 13, which directs the hot air through the apparatus in the other direction as lhereinbefore described.

The above described automatic reversing mechanism may be timed to reverse the dampers 15 and 20 at any desired interval. It is preferably designed to reverse said dampers every fifteen minutes.

A blower 130, having inlet 131 and outlet 132 which communicate with the air intake 6 at two different points. is adapted to draw a strong and uniform draft of air through said intake into the furnace and to force the'hot air in the furnace uniformly through the hot air ducts registers and drying chambers and out through the exhaust. vThe blower` however, is not indispensable to the operation of the apparatus as it mayoperate without the use of the blower. A valve 135 is interposed between the blower inlet 131 and outlet 132 which valve is closed to prcvent air from passing between the said inlet and outlet when the Iblower operates. Said valve is opened to enable the air to enter the furnace through the intake 6 when the blower is not operating. A valve 136 is located in the air passage of the blower which valve is closed to prevent air passing through lthe blower when the blower is not in operation. The blower is operated b v the motor 95 through the medium of motor pulley 110. belt 141, which passes over said "J llG top of the intake is closed so that the smoke and the exhaust air will not enter the air intake.` Fresh air enters the upper part of the intake 6 through ports 150 which extend radially from vthe upper part of the intake through the exhaust stack to the atmosphere. The exhaust stack extends above the smoke stack so that the smoke and exhaust air pass into the atmosphere together.

IVe claim:

1. In a drying apparatus, a compartment for containing articles to be dried, two nozzles projecting respectively into opposite ends of said compartment, means Afor forcing air through one of said nozzles and through said compartment and means communicating with said other1 nozzle for conducting the air from said compartment through said other nozzle.

Q. In a drying apparatus, a compartment for containing the articles to be dried, two nozzles adapted to be projected into the ends of said compartment, means for 'forcing air through one of said nozzles and through said compartment and means for conducting the air from the compartment out through said othernozzle, and means for reversing thedirection of the air through the nozzles and compartment.

3. In a drying apparatus, a plurality of drying compartments, a pair of registers arranged adjacent the ends of said compartments, said registers communicating with each of said compartments, for introducing hot air into said compartments, and means for placing said compartments in operative relation to said registers and for removing said compartments from said registers.

4. In a drying apparatus, a plurality of.

drying compartments having open ends, a pair of registers 'arranged adjacent the open ends of said compartments, a plurality of nozzles on each register, each of said nozzles being adapted to project into one open end of a compartment, means `for forcing hot airthrough said registers, nozzles and compartments, means for placing said compartments in operative relation to said registers and nozzles and for removing said compartments from said nozzles and registers.

5. In a drying apparatus, a plurality of drying compartments having open ends, a pair of hot air registers arranged adjacent the open ends of said compartments, a plurality of nozzles on each register, adapted to project respectively into the open adjacent ends of said compartments, means for forcing hot air through one of said registers and its nozzles and through said compartments, and then out through the nozzles and register at the other open end of said compartments, means for reversing the direction of the air flowing through the drying system, means for placing said compartments in operative relation to said registers and nozzles and for removing said compartments from said nozzles and registers.

6. In a drying apparatus, a hot air register, a car track leading to said register, a car adapted to travel on said track, a plurality of drying compartments on said car, said compartments having openings at their ends, said register having a plurality of outlets adapted to register respectively with the openings in the adjacent end of said compartments, a second register adapted to be brought adjacent the other end of said compartments, nozzles on said register adapted to project into the openings in the adjacent end of said compartments, means for forcing hot air through one of said registers, its nozzles, then through said compartments and then out through the nozzles and register at the other end of said compartments.

7. In a drying apparatus, a hot air register, a car track leading to said register, a car adapted to travel on said track, a plurality of drying compartments on said car, said compartments having Aopenings at their ends, said register having a plurality of outlets adapted to register respectively with the openings in the adjacent end of said compartments, a second register adapted to be brought adjacent the other end of said compartments, a nozzle on said register adapted to project into the openings in the adjacent i end of said compartments, means for forcing hot air through one of said registers, its nozzles, then through said vcompartments and then out through the lnozzles and register at the other end of said compartments, and meansior reversing the direction of the air flowing through the system.

8. In a drying apparatus, a drying chamber, a plurality of drying compartmentsin said drying chamber, a register at one end of said chamber communicating respectively with the respective compartments, a register hinged to the other end of said chamber adapted to communicate respectively with the respective compartments when said register closes the end of the chamber, said register adapted to be swung so as to open lthe end of said chamber, said compartments adapted to be introduced into said chamber or removed therefrom through said open end of the chamber, and means for introducing hot air through said compartments from one of said registers and out through the other register.

9. In a drying apparatus, a drying chamber, a plurality of drying compartments in said drying chamber, a register at one end of said chamber communicating respectively with the respective compartments` a register hinged to the other end of said chamber adapted to communicate respectively with the respective compartments when said register adapted to be swung so as to open the end of said chamber, said compartments adapted to be introduced into saidchamber or removed therefrom through said open end of the chamber, a hot air `duct leading to each of said registers, said hinged register being detachably connected to one of the ducts so that the register may swing open, a damper in each of said ducts,`1neans for turning said dampers .to vclose said ducts when said register is swung on its hinges into open position, and means engagedby said register when swung closed for turning said dampers to open said ducts.

10. In a drying apparatus, a drying chamber, a plurality of drying compartments in said drying chamber, a register at one end of said chamber communicating respectively with the respective compartments, a register hinged to the other end of said chamber adapted to communicate respectively with the respective compartmentsv when said register closes the endof the chamber, said register adapted to be swung so as to open the end of said chamber, said compartmentsadapted to be introduced into said chamber or removed therefrom through said open end of the chamber, a hot air duct leading to each of said registers, said hinged register being provided with an opening adapted to register With'one of said ducts when the register is in closedvposition, a sleeve on the outer en'd of said duct, a fiange on the outer end of said sleeve adapted to fit around said opening when said register isclosed, and springs tending to force said sleeve outwardly so that said flange will engage the register around said opening and form a tight joint and means for introducing hot air through one duct and register and through said compartments, and then out through the other register and duct.

1l. In a drying apparatus, a drying chamber, a1 pair of registers communicating with said chamber, a hot air furnace, a duct leading from said furnace to each of said registers, a damper for controlling communication betweensaid furnace and each of said ducts, an exhaust, said dampers being adapted to be actuated to establish communication between said furnace and one of said ducts and to shut off communication between said duct and said exhaust, and tol shut of communication between said furnace and the other duct and to establish communication between the latter duct and said exhaust. Y

12.' In a drying lapparatus, a drying chamber, a pair of registers communicating with haust air stack with which said exhaust duct communicates, said exhaust air stack surrounding said air intake stack.

lf3. In a drying apparatus, a drying chamber, a pair of registers communicating with said chamber,a hot air furnace, a duct leading from said furnace to one of said registers, an exhaust duct, a duct leading from the other register to said exhaust duct, a smoke stack for the furnace, anair intake stack for the furnace surrounding said smoke stack, and an exhaust air stack with which said exhaust duct communicates, said exhaust air stack surrounding said air intake stack.

14. In a drying apparatus, a compartment open at its end, a hot air register movable with relation to said compartment and adapted to communicate with said compartment through the open end thereof, and a packing interposed between the register and the ends of the walls of the compartment.

15. In a drying apparatus, a plurality of superimposed drying compartments open at the end, a register movable with relation to the end of the compartments, said register having a plurality of superimposed ports adapted to communicate respectively with the open ends of the respective compartments, and packing strips engaging the register between its ports and the ends of the Walls ofthe compartment., l

16. In a dyring apparatus a plurality of drying compartments formed by trays superimposed one upon the other, means for admitting hot air into each of said compartpartments, means for withdrawing the hot air from each of said compartments at the opposite end, and means for regulating the flow of air into and out of each of said compartments.

17. In a drying apparatus, a plurality vof drying compartments, a register provided with a plurality of openings and communieating respectively with the respective compartments, means for supplying said register with hot air, and dampers for controlling the openings in said register so that a uniform amount of air will pass from the register through said openings and compartments respectively.

18, In a drying apparatus, a plurality of drying compartments, two registers located adjacent 'the ends of said compartments, each of said registers provided with a plurality of openings communicating with the respective compartments, dampers arranged in the respective openings of said registers, means for introducing hot air from one register through its openings and through said compartments, means for conducting the, air out of said compartments through the openings on the other register, said dampers being adapted to be adjusted so that a uni-l form .amount of hot air will pass throug said respective compartments.

19. In a drying apparatus, a drying com-4 partment, a hot air furnace, two ducts leading from said furnace to said drying compartment, an exhaust', a damper for controlf ling communication between each duct and said furnace or between each duct and said exhaust, said dampers being connected to operate synchronously, a link connected to one of said dampers, two pins on said rod, a means for maintaining said rod in operative position, a pivoted weighted arm extending between said pins, acrank arm, said crank arm provided with a slot, a pin on said .weighted arm projecting into said slot, a 

